The invention relates to gymnastic equipment for the performance of vaulting exercises, in the case of which the gymnast takes a run toward the front end of the equipment, supports himself with his hands for an instant on the equipment and leaps over it from the front to the back thereof, comprising an upper part held up by a lower portion, said upper part having an upper surface forming a support face for the hands of the gymnast.
Conventional vaulting horses possess a horse body with a beam-like, elongated shape as an upper part and four legs at the corner parts of the horse body as a lower portion or frame. Such horses are placed parallel to the direction of the run in the case of men's gymnastics and athwart it for women. In the former case there is a support face which is long in the direction of vaulting but is narrow whereas in the latter case although the support face is broad it is extremely short. This comparatively small support face is not free of danger and if the gymnast misses his hold a serious injury may be the result.
Furthermore although vaulting horses are padded on their top side constituting the support face, more particularly the wrists of the gymnast will be subject to comparatively heavy jerks.
Known vaulting horses are moreover comparatively cumbersome and extravagant in the amount of space required.